Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 2/11/15

Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 2/11/15

God spoke to Isaiah before Cyrus was ever born.  He knows 100 years in the future.  We don’t know even about tomorrow or what may happen when we get home.  God gave this to Isaiah about 100 to 120 years before Cyrus was even born. 

Isa 45:1  Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

There is a wonderful thing; God has a way of helping every individual through every challenge that they have.  Cyrus became king and had lots of challenges, but since God was for him, he prospered.  He would be faced with many kings and many armies.  There were many things that looked impossible except for God. 

You may be facing a situation that looks impossible.  There is a God in heaven that knows how to remove the resistance toward the gospel from an individual.  “I will go before you.”

I was especially thinking of Brother and Sister Figeroa as I studied this this morning.  God can orchestrate the situation.  It is God that goes before.  When Brother Figeroa reaches the customs in Cuba there is always someone there watching for him.  There is always something wrong with his passport because they made sure of it. 

It is harder for him as a Cuban to go back to the home country than for others.  God is still God. 

Isa 45:2  I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

“I’ll make the crooked straight.”  God knows what He is doing.  Cyrus made roads and that made it possible for the gospel day travel. 

You may feel that you are batting against the wall.  God has things in control.  God has a way of opening the door, cutting the bars of iron.

Isa 45:3  And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

This can mean many things to many people. The Word of God is not bound.  Literally God opened the treasure houses of those that would be enemies to Cyrus so that he would have ways and means to start the rebuilding of the temple. 

God knows what He is doing.  He has ways and means even when we don’t see an answer.  We can aggressively say, “I am going to believe God.”  When you and I believe God then He knows how to work.

Before Christ there were not banks like we know today.  People hid their treasures in secret places.  They didn’t know that they were not hiding it for themselves but for God to use as He sees fit.  People may leave God out but that doesn’t mean that God leaves them out.

I the Lord who call thee by thy name:  You and I don’t know any names of people down the road, but God knows them. 

Isa 45:4  For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

You and I are praying, trusting God tonight.  From eternity God has a plan of working through and to the end of time.

Isa 45:5  I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

Many people act like they are going to run their own life and do this or something else.  God says, “I am the Lord.  There is no God beside me.  I girded thee.”

We each stand before God needing Him to cloth us with humility, the robe of salvation, and the whole armor of God.  We don’t ever want to walk naked.  When anyone walks naked, the three unclean spirits like frogs are there to plaster them.

Isa 45:6  That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Ezra:

Ezr 1:1  Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

Ezr 1:2  Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Ezr 1:3  Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.

Ezr 1:4  And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.

God moved upon Cyrus with His Spirit.  We are so blessed to live in the Gospel Day.  God has a way of moving upon us with His Spirit. 

This carries over into the Gospel Day in the thought of building the Church of God.  God moves from eternity.  You and I are visited by the Spirit of God.  We will also be visited by other things.  The eternal God is visiting 2015 from eternity.

When you wonder, “What is going to happen?”  God has a plan.

God named and surnamed Cyrus.

Isa 44:28  That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

God named a man that was going to be king.  He surnamed him, “He is my shepherd.”  When God looks at you and me, He doesn’t think just of your birthdate.  He had a plan made before you got here.  He has a plan of what He wants us to do as His children.

God held him by his right hand.  It is natural to sometimes feel, “Am I carrying this burden alone?”  No, if God has given you a burden, He is holding your hand as you carry the burden and going before you.

There will be times in your life when you feel that the enemy, and all his agents are turned loose against you.  You feel that you are attacked in your mind: having a hard time concentrating, having a sound mind, or keeping it together. 

At times we are attacked in our emotions.  It is tough.  You can be doing your best to be faithful and true and there seems to be darkness over your eyes and a mirror seems to be pointing into you with all failures and distractions. 

Remember that God has a hold of your hand.  When things are black and hopeless out there, when God moves, “After you have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, and settle you.”

You and I get put to the test of how settled we are.  It is pretty easy to be settled Sunday morning and night when the presence of God is strong and the saints are singing and rejoicing and the powerful feeling of the presence of God is in the place.  But when there is a dark mirror then is the test to see how settled you are.  “I will not move I am standing on the rock, and God is just the same today.”

It doesn’t matter how strong the enemy is, he is no match for God.  We had testimonies recently on the blood of Christ and resisting accusations.  Powerful testimonies.  God is as powerful, and more powerful, than the most powerful testimony that you have ever heard.

Whatever of God’s work that you are challenged to do, He has the resources to bring it to pass.  I feel challenged every time we go to rest-home, write a letter, or go to teach or preach.  Remember that God already has all the resources for us. 

We were parents and that season is over.  We did our best and knew our roles, we did our best by the convictions of God, and now we are in a new role.  We have grandchildren.  The most important thing that I want to do in the family is to teach our grandchildren the value of obedience. 

We are in a new season.  I think their parents are the ones that need to spank them.  God has the resource for Karen and me to know how to handle the challenge of these situations.  If these children are not taught to mind, they will never be able to be servants of God, besides not being a joy to be around or being a threat to society. 

God has the treasures to help me to know how to instill in these children, “You must obey.”

God knows how to give you and me a trusted name.  “I can count on Brother or Sister Faithful that I Have chosen.” 

Isa 45:6  That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

God is good.  God is light. 

Isa 45:8  Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

Isa 45:9  Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

Do you know any man that strives with his maker?  That is not a good position to be found in. 

Isa 45:10  Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

Isa 45:11  Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

It seems that God is saying, “Go ahead and talk to me about the generation to come.  Plead with me for individuals to hear the call and to take the message.” 

There are a lot of voices in the world, “Go this way; there are a lot of pleasures in it, and go that way; there is a lot of money…”  The route of success, pleasure, wealth, or prestige does nothing but leave men and women empty.

Paul said, “I have finished my course…there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.”

Isn’t it wonderful to not be looking back to what we are leaving with regrets and to be looking forward?

The work of my hands command ye me:  “God we are pleading with you to lay your hand upon souls.  Please work with souls.”  Sometimes His hand is a healing hand; sometimes it is a protecting hand.  We live in an evil world, “God would you put your hand between children, young people, and the world and protect them from the evil.”

Jesus taught us to pray, “Keep them from the evil.”  Help us to ever stay yoked to Christ.  That will keep us from the evil.

“Reach forth your hand.”  The hand of conviction.  I believe that, before I was saved, God spoke to me in the valley of decision and said, “Don’t go that way.”  I will never forget it.  He is God.  He knows how to speak to souls, “Don’t go that way son.”

Psa 138:7  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

Psa 138:8  The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

We can rest assured that He will not forsake us.